Variable spacing mechanism for typewriters



July 12,1932.v

VARIABLE J. HUSTON ET AL 1,867,155

SPACING" MECHANISM 'FOR TYPEWRITERS Fild Aug. 5, 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 v llvvslvrol s. g ARTHUR L. sues.

JACK uus'rou.

July 12, 1932.

J. HUSTON ET AL VARIABLE SPACING MECHANISM FOR TYPEWRITERS Filed Aug. 5. 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 s PE as h T a fiT E 12% N y m m u r a RA 4 flJ y 2,\.1932- J; HUSTON Em 1,867,155

VARIABLE SPACING MECHANISM FOR TYPEWRITER S Filed Aug. 5. 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet 3.

l/Vl/EWTDAS. 441771102, L. .SLEE J/ICK 1/570 ATTORI/VEK July 12, 1932.

J. HUSTON ET AL VARIABLE SPACING MECHANISM FOR TYPEWRITERS Filed Aug. 5, 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 'arraamsx July 12, 1932.

J. HUSTON ET AL VARIABLE SPAGING MECHANISM FOR TYPEWRITERS Filed Aug. 5, 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Q: I mm ifi & Q WW M m 3 .3 Q $M .\R w

JAlZTg'HgR L. SLEE.

, us'ro IITTORNEY. I

Patented July 12, 1932 yumrao STATES PATENT OFFICE- JACK HUSTOIN AND ARTHUR SLEE, OF SAId' FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, SAID stun ASSIGgIlOR TO SAID HUSTON VARIABLE SPACING MECHANISM FOR TYPEW'RITERS Application filed August 5,

Our invention relates to improvementsin mechanism for automatically varying the space moved by the carriage of a typewriter when each letter or character is printed to conform to the different widths of the various letters and characters to correspond to the respective Widths of letters and characters of a font of printers type, and to'provide for variable spacing between words or characters whereby the true appearance of printers type may be obtained and the ends of successive lines may be alined as in print- 1n lypewriting machines, as heretofore commonly constructed, are provided with a carriage escapement operating to permit the carriage to be advanced by regular steps as each successive letter is printed, the distance moved being equal for all letters, characters, and spaces. This necessitates that each letter and character occupy the same space and the result is that the large letters must be condensed and will appear closely crowded tegether in a typewritten line, while the narrow letters will appear relatively widely spaced apart, thereby causing an appearance of irregular spacing and disproportioned letters and characters. Furthermore, the

uniformed spacin provided-renders it substantially impossile to aline the ends of successive lines, a variation of several letters in the-relative lengths of the lines being usual.

In printers type, each letter and character is designed to be in proportion with the sizes of theother letters and characters of a font so-that each piece of type will .be made of a width corresponding to the width of its letter or character, whereby the letters ters of a printed line will appearin correct proportion and regularly spaced. The lines are, of "course, made to occupy exactly the same length-by supplying additional spaces between the words of tlieline to give a uniform spacing between Words.

The present invention is,

therefore, di-

rectedto an improved mechanism whereby the letters and characters of a typewriter may be designed in correct proportion, as in rinters type, and providing means wherey the carriage may be advanced variable and. charac- 1929. Serial No. 383.729.

amounts corresponding to the width of each letter or character as printed and whereby the typewritten line may be made to present the same appearance as a printed line, and also providing means whereby the spacing between words may be varied to provide a regular margin line along the right-hand side of a typewritten sheet, the primary object being'to provide an improved mechanism whereby typewriting may have the same appearance as printed matter. I

An important object of the invention is to provide a typewriting mechanism whereby copy may be written and cuts made directly from the typewritten sheets for printing without the time and expense of setting or casting type and without altering the accustomed appearance of such printed copy.

Another object is to provide an improved mechanism whereby the carriage may be moved a distance conforming to the width of each letter or character as the same is printed.

A further object is to provide an improved variable spacing mean, hich is actuated automatically by the ogeration of the keys of a typewriter to vary the spacing proportionately to the widths of successive letters.

Another object is to provide an improved variable spacing mechanism h ving selective means automatically operating to vary the spacing proportionately to the widths'of any of a plurality of letters or characters printed by a single key through the usual shifting mechanism. 7

Another object is to provide an improved mechanism whereby variable spaces may be provided between words and in which the spaces between the several words of a line may be made substantially equal.

A further object is to provide an improved mechanism of the character described which is positive and efiicientin its operation and which can be incorporated with typewriting machines without otherwise altering the mechanism and operation thereof.

A further object is to provide animproved variable stop which may be adjusted to obtain accurac and to compensate for wear.

Another 0 ject is to provide an improved mechanism of thecharacter described which is compact and which will-provide a wide range of. variable spacing.

A still further object is to provide-an imapplication wherein like characters of refer-.

ence are used to designate similar parts throughout the specification and drawings, and in,which-- I Fig. 1 is a broken vertical mid-sectional view of a typewriter showing parts of our. improved variable spacing mechanism as applied thereto; i

ig. 2 is a broken side elevation, partly in vertical section, of the typewriter as shown in Fig. 1 with our variable spacing mechanism applied thereto;

Fig. 3 is a broken rear elevation of the typewriter and variable spacing mechanism;

, Fig. 4 is a broken plan view of a portion of the typewriter and the spacing mechanism Fig. 5 is a front elevation of the variable actuating lever mechanism;

Figs. 6 and 7 are rear elevations of the pawl and ratchet mechanism illustrating in detail the arrangement and operation thereof; 0 Fig. 8 is a side view of the m F 1g.-7 v

Figs. 9, 10, and 11 are broken detail views parts shown of the selective means for connecting desired actuating levers to the spacing mechanism, the views showing aplan, side elevation, and end elevation of said selective means, respectively; r p

Fig. 12 is a broken sectional detail of a portion of the variable stop showing the manner in which the pawl arm is engaged and disclosing the manner in which the stop may be ad uSted; and

13 is a view. disclosingthemanner in whic letters and characters of various widths are alinedalong the left-hand mar in.

Referrin to the drawings, we have il us-- trated our invention as applied upon atypewriter of the varityper type, designated in general by the numeral 1. In order that the operation of our variable spacing mechanism .as applied to typewriters of this type may be clearly understood, the structure and operation of the follows:

The tyspewriter is provided witha carriage 2 track,,3 and actuated b a suitable actuating mechanism 4 connecte to the carriage by -'a flexible band 6 to. normally urge the carriage forwardly in one'direction, usually toward the left asviewed. from the front.

typewriter is briefly described as idably movable along a-suitable accomplished as follows:

Type letters and characters'24 are formed. upon a matrix 26 slidably mounted. upon the In the machine illustrated, the printing is 'member 27 mounted'upon the upper end of a I vertically disposed column 28. The matrix is actuated by a yoke 29 mounted upon the column 2.8 and arran ed to be rotatably moved to shift the matrix to desired prmtmg positions. As any particular key 17 is struck,

the movement 'of the key lever ortion raises a stop 31 correspondingto sai' key and defininn the position to which the yoke 29 and matrix 26 are to be moved to print the letter or character actuated by'said key. At the same time, an arm 32 is turned upon a pivot to actuate an arm 33 movable to engage a cam 34 connected to the yoke 29 and operating to turn said yoke until the raised stop 31 is engaged, the movement of the stop A hammer 36 is pivotally mounted upon the back of the machine and arranged to be moved b any key 17 to'strike a blow against a desire type letter or character 24 through an impression band 37 arranged opposite the matrix 26, a suitable inked 'ribbon38 being and of the yoke'taking place during the first portion of the movement of the key. Thefurther movement of the key 17 causes the lever 19 to be engaged and'moved to actuate an escapement, as hereinafter-described.

disposed between the band 37 and the matrix 26 and a sheet of paper being vthreaded be tween the'ribbon 28 and band 37 whereb .the blow impartedby the hammer 36 wi 1 cause the character to be printed upon the paper. The paper is carried with the carriage 2 in the well known manner. The hammer 36 is moved rearwardly aainst the tension of a hammer spring-39' y the operation of any key 17, and is 'releasedwhen a key 17 is fully depressed tostrikeand print the desiredletter .or ch meter. The matrix 26 is provided with a "lurality of rows of letters and characters and is arranged to be shifted. by the well known shifting keys 40 whereby theoperation bf any particular key 17 may operate to permit any of a; plurality v of letters or characters corresponding to the shifted positions of'thematrix. The present invention'consists. of s acing mechanism whereby the movement of th e car: riage maybe'made to correspond to the width of each particular letter or character'printed l and consists of a relativel large escapement' number ratchet 41v having a relatively large of closely s aced teeth 42 representing units of width 0 type and corresponding units of carriage movement. The ratchet 41 is secured 3 upon a shaft 43 journaled upon the back of the machine. A gear 44 is mounted upon the shaft-11, said gear 44 operating'to drive the ratchet41 by means of-agear45 secured upon I the shaft 43 and an idler gear 46 meshing with both gears: 44 and 45 'whereby the. gears 44 of ear 44.

5 being provided with and may be rotated in the same direction at a desired speed ratio. The shaft 11 is actuated by the normal tension of the carriage 2 through the usual gears 8 and ratchet 10. The usual hammer lever 13 is mounted for ivotal movement upon the shaft 11 and connected to the hammer 36in the ordinary manner. In machines not employing applicants variable spacing means the ordinary ratchet mechanism is carried on the shaft 11 in place he pawl actuating arm 47 is pivotally mounted upon the shaft 43 immediately in back of the escapement ratchet 41, said arm a pawl 48 pivotally mounted upon'one end thereof, and provided with a stop engaging member 49 adjustably secured upon the opposite end thereof. An escapement lever 16 is pivotally mounted upon the back of the machine adjacent the ratchet 41. The lever 16 is provided with extensions 16 and 16" similar to the ordinary escapement lever structure but of relatively greater length to correspond to the larger ratchet 41. A detent or escapement flange 14 is carried by the lever 16 to engage the ratchet in a manner similar to the usual detent. A slot 16 is formed in the extension 16" to receive and slidably engage a pin 48 39 carried by the pawl 48, said slot being northe arm mally positioned concentric with the ratchet 41 and just clear of the teeth thereof when the lever 16' is in its normal position against a stop 16 A stop roller 51 is mounted upon 47 adjacent the pivot of the pawl 48, said stop extending across the hammer lever 13 and being movable to engage the upper edge of said lever.

A variable stop member 52 is slidably mounted in a position to be engaged by the stop engaging member 49. The stop 52 is provided with an inclined edge having a plurality of tooth like stops 53 formed thereon to represent units of type width and the corresponding-units of carriage. movement. The

member 52 is preferably made from two idenmounted in matching proxione of said plates being adthe other whereby, by adtical portions mate relation, justable relative to vancing the adjustable member slightly with respect to the other member, the effective level of each stop tooth 53 may be slightly varied. This is accomplished by means of an adjusta ing screw 54 mounted in offset relation 'to one E5 side portion of the member 52, said screw extending through mounting lugs 56 carried by the opposite side portion of the member 52- and having a follower mounted upon the screw between said lugs whereby the '60 screw and the side portion to which it is c0nnected can be movedrelative to the opposite side portion. A spring 57 mounted around the stem takes up any lost motion which may occur between the follower and the lugs 56 to insure accurate adjustment.

sides of the machine, said levers said beveled edge which will seat upon the teeth 53 of the stop 52, whereby the degree of movement of the arm 47, to seat the member 49 upon a particular stop tooth 53, may be slightly adjusted. The member 49 is movable between suitable guide slots 61 formed in a guide 62 for accurately defining the path of movement of said member.

The stopmember 52 is slidably moved through the guide 62 at right angles to the member 49 by means of an arm. 63 pivoted at one end upon the frame of the machine and at its other end to an extension 52 said stop member. The arm 63 is actuated by means of a crank 64 pivotally mounted upon the machineand connected to said arm 63 by a link 66. A plurality of actuating levers 67 are pivotally mounted in proximate relation upon suitable shafts 68 at opposite 67 extending across the machine and being supported immediatel above the lever portions of the type keys 17 The levers 67 are each provided with a plurality of slots 69 formed in the lower edge thereof and matching With the lever portions of the several type keys 17 of the typewriter and arranged to permit movement of the respective keys into said slots to engage the levers at the tops ofv the slots. The s1ots69 are made of various depths proportional to the width of each letter or character and to the amount of carriage movement necessary for the respective letters or characters. A lever 67 is provided for each writer to operatively connect a corresponding lever 67 to the crank 64 when the machine isshifted to cause each key. to print the desired one of its plurality of'letters and characters. In Figs. 9, 10, and 11, I have illustrated in detail one suitableselective means by which the levers 67 may be thus connected', wherein one of the shafts 68 is mounted upon suitable bearings 69 andis provided with a key way 71 formed thereon. The crank 64 is secured upon one end of the shaft 68 and the levers 67 are pivotally supported at one end upon said shaft 68 A collar 72 is slidably mounted upon the shaft 68 and rovided with a key 73 movable within the ey-way 71, said key being provided with a keyextension 7 3'. movable to engage matchingkey-ways 74 formed in Itheends of the.

levers 67, to normallyniatch with the key-way 71. The ke extension 73' is of a width to engage the ay-way of any lever 67 and key the same to the shaft 68 independently of the other levers 67. The .collar 72 is actuated by means of a bell "crank76 pivotally mounted upon one of the bearing members 69' and icrankv 76'. The shift shaft, in the 'tfypewriter illustrated, is operated by the shi keys which are moved variable distances to impart a corresponding variable de cc of rotation to the shaft 82, said varia le rotation causin the arm 81 to be swung through correspon ing distances whereby the crank 76 is moved to shift the collar 72 and cause the keyextension 7 3' to operatively connect the proper lever 67..

In carrying our invention into effect, the

type letters and characters 24 are designed v in accordance withthe standard widths of -the several letters and characters of a font of printers type. These widths of course vary accordin to the size and face of type, but the variation in width between the large letters and small letters and charactersis substantially proportional, andthis variation in size between the letters and characters of a particular face of type may be represented, therefore, by conventional units of width.

In Fig. -.13 of'the drawings, we have illustrated upon a. much enlarged scale letters illustrating the difference in relative widths of certain e tters 24 and indicating the. manner in which said widths are measured in such conventional units. Thus, a capital letter W is represented as occupying a of only six units.

width of twenty units, whereas the capital letter I occupies only a. space of six units, and the lower case letter i occupies a space The several letters and characters are arranged to be printed with their relative positions fixed with respect to the left hand edge of each letter or character,

o its-opposed tothepositionin'g with respectto a' center line through the center of the'lette'r or character a's'ty writer type has hereto fore. been arrange In the type of machine herein illustrated, this is accomplished by designing the matrix ,to carrg characters of the various stan ard pri nters letters and widths, and operating the yoke 29 to turn the matrix 26 to a position such that the lefthand edge of each letter 'or character to be i printed is'always moved to the same relative position.

' In operation, the printmg'of each letter or character is accomplished in the' ordinary.

manner, as hereinbeforeexplained, the matrix '26 being shifted to the desired position duringthe initial movement of a lever key, .and the hammer 36 releasedto strikeand make the -.im8ression at the end of said movement.

ur improved variable spacing mechanism operates as follows: p v

The tension by which the carriage 2 is normally urged toward one side of the machine is transmitted. through the gear 8, shaft 11, gears 44, 45, and 46 to the shaft 43 and escapemen't ratchet 41. The pawl 48, engaging the teeth of the ratchet 41 causes the pawl arm 47 to be carried 'to its normal position, as shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings, the stop member 51 being thereby moved to engage the upper edge of the hammer lever 13 and move the same downwardly toits extreme position as defined, by the fixed stop 23, and moving the hammer 36 to its receded position. The movement of the ratchet 41 and the pawl arm 47 in the carriage advancing direction-as indicated by the arrows in Figs. 3, .6, and 7 ,'is thus limited by the hammer lever 13 which in turn is limited by the fixed 'sto 23 accurately limiting the movement of t e several parts in this direction.

When a key 17 is operated to cause the printing of a letter or character, the final movement of the key lever causes the extension 16" to be engaged and the escapement lever 16' to be moved from its normal position, as shown in F ig. 3 of the drawings, to a ratchet retaining position, as indicated in.

Fig. 6. This movement of the escapement lever causes the escapement detent .14 to engage a tooth 42 of the ratchet-41, and immediately after the ratchet is thus engaged, the

'slot 16 causes the pawl 48 to be swung out of engagement with the ratchet teeth 42. At

" the instant the pawl 48 disen'gages the ratchet,

a spring 50 moves the pawl arm 47 opposite to the normal movement of. the ratchet 41,. and as the stop 51 is thus moved away from the hammer lever 13, the hammer is released to make the usual impression.

-. 'The movement of the arm 47 by the spring- '50 is, limited by the variable stopmembe'r 52,

which is-moved by the operation of each key lever 17 operating through the selective mechanism above described, to shift the .stop 52 to a-position corresponding to each particu lar letter or character. The teeth 53 of the member 52 form successive steps represent-.

ing successive units of type width, and each i 1 operating to limit the movement of the pawl arm 47 at points corresponQng't'o-the various widths of etter or character. Thus, if thekey selected operates to print a small letter or character, the stop will be moved to cause one of the upper teeth thereof to be engaged by the stop engaging member 49, and the arm 47 and pawl will be checked after a relatively short move-ment. If one of the large letters is operated, the stop will be moved to permit a greater movement of the pawl arm 47 proportional to the relatively greater size of the 19 letter. i

As the pawl arm 47 is thus moved, the pawl 48 will be carried past a variable number of the teeth 42 of the ratchet 41, the pawl being held out of engagement with the teeth by the extension 16 and its slot 16. If it be assumed that the minimum width of letter or character be represented by six units of width, the pawl arm 47 will be released to carry the pawl 48 past six of the teeth of the ratchet to a position such as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 6 of the drawings, when a key is oper ated to print a letter or character of this minimum. If a letter or character of greater width is to be printed, the arm 47 will be permitted to move a correspondingly greater distance, and the pawl 48 will be carried past a correspondingly greater number of teeth 42, to a position such as indicated in full lines in Fig. 6, said teeth 42 being designed to represent units of type width as above explained. The minimum movement of the pawl arm is made sufiicient to clear the hammer lever 13 and permit normal operation of said lever and the hammer when a letter or character of minimum width is to be printed. -The movement of the hammer lever 13 is, of course, limited by the action of the hammer itself, so that said lever 13 will not move beyond its normal limit regardless of the additional movement which the pawl arm 47 may make.

When a key is released after causing the printing of a desired character, the escapement lever 16 is returned'to its normal position by a suitable spring 15. The first portion of the return movement of the lever 16' causes the slot 16 to swing the pawl 48 into engagement with the adjacent tooth 42 of the ratchet 41, and during the remainso ing portion of said return movement, the de tent 14' is moved out of engagement with the ratchet to positions such as indicated in Fig.

7 of the drawings. As the ratchet is released by the detent 14-, imparted to the ratchet through the intermediate gear connections above described, causes the carriage to be advanced and the ratchet 41 turned in the carriage advancing direction, thereby actuating the pawl 48 and arm 47 and moving thestop 51 against the hammer lever '13 and nioving said lever 13 downwardly until further movement is checked by the stop 23. The stop 23 is fixed, thereby checking the movement of the ratchet 41 and car'- n riage 2 at a fixed limit of movement. The

he tension of the carriage,

degree of movement of the ratchet and care riage is therefore limited by the number of teeth past which the pawl 48 has been moved during the period while released from engagement with the ratchet, and said movement will be equal to the width of letter or character printed. Thus, if the letter printed is a capital letter W, the carriage will be 'ermitted to move a distance of twenty-units of typewidth, as indicated in Fig. 13, whereas, if the letter had been a capital letter I, as indicated in dotted lines, the carriage would have been checked after moving a dis-' tance of six units, the distance of movement.

being measured in each case from the-left hand edge of the letter. \Vhen the next succeeding letter or character is printed, the carriage will be moved a'distance corresponding to the width of said letter, a movement of six units when a letter i is struck, as illustrated in. Fig. 13.

To provide spaces between words, the usual spacing bar 18 operates to release the escapement in the same manner as a type key .17, except that in operating the spacer bar, a hook member 83 is adapted to be swung into the path of an extension 84 formed upon the hammer 36 in the ordinary and well lmown manner whereby said hammer will be stopped before striking an impression. The ordinary spacing bar lever 18 engages and operates the same to move the adjustable stop member 52 to a position providing the average space required,'the'exact degree of movement bein determined by the depth of a notch 69 provi ed in the levers 67 in the same manner as for the type keys 17.

In addition to the normal spacing bar, we provide additional spacing keys 86 and 87 mounted at one end of the ordinary key board and movable to actuate the levers 67 to move the stop to positions providing spaces of different length when the escapement is released. The additional spacing keys 86 and 87 are designed to provide short intervals of movement whereby a succession of operations of said levers either alone or after an operation of the normal spacing bar will permit any desired space to. be provided. The lever portions of the keys 86 and 87 engage and actuate the levers 67 and 19 but are notched as at 88 to avoid actuating the arm 32.

From theabove explanation, it will'be seen that type letters and characters may be made of variable type widths and the carriage will be automatically as for instance,-

the levers 67 released to move var able.

amounts corresponding to the width-of each a letter and character printed'whereby the appearance of type printed matter may be produced by typewriting. The variable spacing means provided will permit the lines to r be laid out to give regular alinement. at both margins of a sheet. a I

In addition to the improved appearance obtained'by the use of our improved variable the initial drafting and, by rewriting the copy, allowance can be made by increasing or decreasing the space between words todistribute the difference evenly between the several words of a line,-

-and thereby bring the right hand endsof the lines into alinement to give a regular mar in line at the right as well as the left hand side of a page. The copy thus prepared may be photographed and cuts made in the ordinary manner without the labor and expense of setting or castingtype or forming k matrices as in the ordinary practice; Ma-

type printed matter, and an enormous saving terial printed from cuts formed in thismanner will-have the accustomed appearance of can be effected in the cost of labor, materials,

' and costly machines and equipment heretofore necessary.

7 have illustrated it only in connection with a single type. of typewriter, the device is,-of course, sub ect to modification in a great number of specific details of construction and arrangement, and may be adapted to typewriters of other types having a rotatable ratchet wheel escapement. We, therefore, do not wish to restrict ourselves to the specific structure illustrated and described, or to its use with the specific type of'typewriter to which we within the scope of the appendediclaims.

Having thus described our invention what a we claim as new and desire to-secure by Letters Patent is 1, A variable spacing mechanismfor typewriters comprising the combination with a typewriter having type keys operable to print letters and eharacters corresponding in rela tive size to the letters and characters'of a font of printers .type, and a carriage ar ated by the carriage,

ranged to be advanced after the operation of each key, of an escapement limiting the movement of the'carriage after each operation and comprising a toothed ratchet actuan arm pivotallymounted adjacent the ratchet, and a pawl movable 'bg' the arm to engage and disengage teethof' t e ratchet to limit the movement of, the ratchet and carriage; a fixed stop limiting the movement ofthe arm and pawlin one 7 directionand a va'riable stop actuated-by. the operation of any type key for regulating the movement of the pawl in the opposite directlon to conform to the width of letters to be printed whereby the movement of the ratchet and carria e ma be corres ondin l 2. 'A variable spacing mechanism for typewriters comprising the combination with a typewriter having type keys operableto print letters and characters corresponding in relative size to the letters and characters of a font ofprinters type, and acarriage arranged to be advanced after the operation of each key, of an escapement limiting the movement of the carriage after each operation and comprising a toothed ratchet actuated'by the carriage, an arm pivotally mounted adjacent the ratchet, and a pawl movable by the arm to engage and disengage teeth of the ratchet to limit the movement of the ratchet and car'- riage; a fixed stop-limiting the movement of the arm and pawl in one direction; a variable stop actuated by the operation of any type key for regulating the movement of the-pawl in the opposite direction to' conform to. the

width of letter to be printed wherebythe movement of the ratchet and carriage may be correspondingly limited; and means for movj ing the pawl independently of any type key While we have illustrated and described the carriage may be moved'to pmonly one embodiment of our invention and v,

vide spacing between desired letters 'or characters.

3. A variable spacing mechanism for typewriters comprising the combination with a typewriter having type keys operable to print letters and characters corresponding in relative size to the letters and characters of a 1 font of printers type, and a carriage arranged to be advanced after the operation of each key.

of an escapement limiting the movement of the carriage after each operation and com prising a ratchet actuated by the carriage,

an arm pivotallymounted adjacent the ratch et, and a pawl movable by the arm toengage and disengage teeth of t e ratchet to limit the movement of the ratchet nd carr1age;a fixed stop limiting the movement of the arm and pawl in one direction a variable stop actuated'by the operation of any type key for reg ulating the movement of the p wl in the opposite direction to conform to the width of letteigito be printed whereby the movement of the ratchet and carriage may be correspond; ingly llmited; a'plurality of spacing members operableindependently of any type key for movingthe' arm and pawl; and means-connecting the spacing members" to the variable iit stop member to move saidstop to various positions whereby the carriage maybe moved to. provide a desired spacing between desired letters-or characters. .7

4 A variable spacing mechanism for typewriters comprising the combinationwith a typewriter having type keys operable to print 7 letters and characters corresponding in relative size to the letters and characters bf afont of printers type, and a carriage arranged to be advanced after the operation of ,each 'ke'v, of an escapement limiting the movement of the carriage after each operation and comprlsmg a toothed ratchet actuated bythe also provided with carriage, an arm pivotally mounted adjacent the ratchet, and a pawl movable by the arm to engage and disengage teeth of the ratchet to limit the movement of the'ratchet and carriage; a fixed stop limiting the movement of the arm and pawl in the carriage advancing direction to check the movement of the carriage; a variable stop mounted adjacent the arm and movable to limit the move-, ment of the arm and pawlin the opposite direction to any of a plurality of positions proportional to the widths of various sizes of letters and characters; and means actuated by the movement of the type keys for moving the variable stop to a position corresponding to any particular letter or character to be printed whereby the movement of the ratchet and carriage may be correspondingly limited.

5. A variable spacing mechanism for typewriters comprising the combination with a typewriter having keys operable to print letters and characters corresponding in size to the letters and characters of a font of printers type, and a carriage arranged to vbe advanced after the operation of each key, and also provided with shifting means whereby each key may operate to print any of a plurality of letters or characters, of an escapement limiting the movement of the carriage after each operation and comprising a toothed ratchet actuated by thecarriage, an arm pivotally mounted adjacent the ratchet, and a pawl movable by the arm to engage and disengage teeth of the ratchet to limit the movement of the ratchet and carriage; a fixed stop limiting the movement of the arm and pawl in the carriage advancing direction to check the movement of the carriage; a variable stop mounted adjacent the arm and movable to limit the movement of thearm and pawl in the opposite direction to any of a plurality of positions proportional to the widths of various sizes of letters and characters; a plurality of actuating members operable by the movement of the typekeys; andselective means actuated by the type shifting means for selectively connecting a proper actuating lever to the variable stop to move said stop to a position corresponding to any particular letter or character of any particular key whereby the movement of the ratchet and carriage may be correspondingly limited.

- 6. A variable spacing mechanism for typewriters comprising the combination with a typewriter having keys operable to print letters and characters corresponding in size to the letters and characters'of a font of printers type, and a carriage arranged tobe advanced after the operation of each key, and shifting means whereby each key may operate to print any of a plurality of letters or characters,

ment limltingthe movement of the carriage after each operation gaging the pawl to move of an escapev and comprising a toothed ratchet actuated by the carriage, an arm pivotally mounted adjacent the ratchet, and a pawl movable by the arm to engage and disengage teeth of the ratchet to limit the movement of the ratchet and carriage; a fixed stop limiting the movement of the arm and pawl in the carriage advancing direction to check the movement of the carriage; a variable stop mounted adjacent the arm and movable to limit the movement of the arm and pawl in the opposite direction to any of a plurality of positions proportional to the widths of various sizes of letters and characters; a plurality of actuating members operable by'the movementof the type keys; selective means actuated by the type shifting means for selectively connecting a proper actuating lever to the variable stop to move said stop to a position corresponding to any particular letter or char acter of any particular key whereby the movement ot the ratchet and carriage may be correspondingly limited; and a plurality of spacing members operable independently ofany type key and having actuating connections to the variable stop for moving the arm and pawl variable amounts whereby the carriage may be moved to provide a desired spacing between desired letters or characters. 7 In a variable spacing mechanism for typewriters," an escapement comprising a ratchet actuated by the carriage of a typewriter and provided with a plurality of closely spaced teeth; an arm pivotally mounted adjacent the ratchet; a pawl carried by the arm and movable to engage and disengage the teeth; a member pivotally mounted adjacent the ratchet and actuated by the movement of any type key ofthe typewriter, 100 said member being provided with a detent movable to engage a tooth of the ratchet to' hold said ratchet and the carriage against forward movement when a key'is struck, said member being also provided with means enthe pawl out of engagement with the ratchet: means for normally movi'ngthe arm in a direction opposite to the normal direction of movement of the ratchet when the pawl visdisengaged'; a variable stop mounted adj acent-the arm and actuated by the movement of the type keys to limit said normal movement of the arm to variable distances proportional to the width of a letter or character being printed where-t bythe pawl maybe moved past a variable number of teeth corresponding to the width of each letter or character; and a fixed stop, limiting the movement of the. arm in the opposite direction, the pawl engagingv and checking the forward movement --ofthe ratchet and carriage when said carriage has moved a distance equal to the width of a let-.v ter or character printed.

8. In a variable" spacmg mechanism for typewriters, a variable stop comprisinga member havinga plurality of teeth forming stops ada ted to be engaged by a pawl arm to limit t e movement thereof to different amounts; and means actuated by the movement of the type keys of a typewriter for responding to the'size of moving 'saidstop member to a position corteror character. I

9. In a variable spacing mechanism for, typewriters, a variablestopcomprising a memberhaving a plurality of teeth formmg stops adapted to be engaged by a pawl arm to limit the-movement thereof" to different amounts, means actuated by the movement of each particular let-.

cally connect a proper lever to the stop when the keys are operated in conjunction with 'shiftinmeans for printing any of a plural-v ity of etters or characters actuated by each in witness whereof, wehereunto .set our signatures v 'JAGK HUSTON.

ARTHUR L. SLEE.

typewriters, a variable stop to limit the movement of a'carriage control pawl to regulate the amount of forward movement of the carriage of a typewriter when a letter or character is printed; and a pivoted lever mounted connected to the stop, said lever being actuated .to dlfl'erent positions by different keys,

' each position corresponding to the width of the letter or character printed.

11. In a variable spacing mechanism for typewritersfa variable stop to limitthe movement of a carriage control pawl to regulate the amount of forward movement of the carriage of a typewriter when a letter of character is' printed; and a pivoted; lever mounted adjacent. the type keys of the typewriter and connected to the stop, said lever adjacent the type keys of the typewriter and having aplurality of slots of various depths to be engaged by the respectivelkeys of the typewriter whereby the lever may be engaged and moved variable'amounts to actufl ate the stop to positions corresponding to each particular letter and character as the keys are operated.

- 12;In,a variable spacingmechanism for typewriters, variable stop to limit the movement of acan'iage control jpawl to regulate g the amount of forwardmovement of the carriage of a typewriter when a letter or character is printed; a plur.,'"v of pivoted stop actuating levers mounted adjacent the type keys of the typewriter, each lever-havinga plurality of slots of various depths pro portional to the width of letters and characters printed by type keys matching therewith whereby the levers may be moved; variable amounts bythe movement of said type keys; and selective means for connecting the'leversto the stop for actuating said stop to' positions corresponding .to each particular let-- ter and character as the keys are operated, said selective means operating to automati- 

